China hopes negotiated settlement of Pak-India disputes

BEIJING: China reiterated on Friday that Pakistan and India should go for a peaceful and negotiated settlement of their bilateral disputes.

A spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Lu Kang said here at the weekly news briefing that both the countries needed to play their role for maintaining peace and stability in South Asia.

When his attention was drawn to the report that he Secretary-General of the United Nations has appointed the new Chief Military Observer of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan, the Lu Kang said “We have noticed the relevant reports.”

“As a common neighbor and friend of Pakistan and India, China hopes that the two sides will continue to conduct calm and proper handling of relevant issues through dialogue and consultation and work together to maintain peace and stability in South Asia,” he added.

Giving strong reaction to the US government’s measures to impose 25 percent tariff on Chinese products, the spokesman said, “the US's wrong approach is a flagrant violation of the rules of the World Trade Organization. It will strike the global trade order, trigger global market turmoil, and hinder the global economic recovery.

More multinational corporations, small and medium-sized enterprises and ordinary consumers all over the world will be affected. Many industries and the public in the United States have become more and more aware that they will suffer.

In fact, the recent series of unilateralism and trade investment protectionism measures adopted by the US government have caused widespread concern and condemnation in the world, and have also led to counter-attacks and retaliation from many countries.

China has always opposed unilateralism and opposed trade and investment protectionism. We have been doing our utmost to promote the objective understanding of the globalization process and rationally deal with the differences and problems in trade relations, but this requires the relevant parties to move in the opposite direction. Any attempt to unilaterally exert pressure is futile, and no one should have any illusions about it. In the case of China’s legitimate interests being treated unfairly, China naturally takes the necessary counterattacks. “

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce of China has said today that we will keep the WTO informed of the situation and we are determined to work together with the rest of the world to safeguard free trade and the multilateral trading system.